[Reaver]

Depending on the players, I either give them their group background, ("smiley, the fixer you all know picked you all for a run a few months back. The run went like clockwork, and you all decided to stick together after that.") Or, I let them come up with their own backstory for the group. Seen some really great runs too! (like the elven identical triplets and their Ork "muscle", to all being from the same barrens gang that pulled off a large score right before the rest of the gang got slaughtered by the Corp reprisal team.)

Things get trickier when I have to introduce a new player... Then fall back alot on Fastjack's "fixer drop in" option. Also use the "common allies" trick sometimes as well... Again, it all depends on the players and their style of play.

[kirk]

One I recently witnessed was that they'd all been brought into a holding cell for processing/questioning. There's one more person in the cell with them. That person's team staged a jailbreak and the players were given a choice of coming along or being "good" witnesses. (The only good witness is one who won't testify against you...) Since the other team was the only one with weapons the decision wasn't that hard.

Lotsa hooks...